Pregnancy with Diabetes

The last time I was pregnant, I didn't see an endocrinologist until months into my pregnancy. I'm diabetic and super insulin resistant when pregnant so the sooner I see a doctor the better. 

Now that I have an established endocrinologist, I made an appointment right away to get my sugars under control. I had an appointment Wednesday morning.

Wednesday morning my fasting sugar was 289. It should have been like 90. High blood sugars can affect the baby's heart development so I needed to get on insulin asap. 

I now have to do 2 Lantus shots a day in my stomach, one at breakfast and one at bedtime. I also have to wear an insulin pump on my stomach that delivers constant insulin throughout the day and mealtime insulin. I check my sugars 7 times a day at minimum. Before and after each meal and before bed time, plus before and after any snacks. Any time I eat carbs I have to give myself insulin. 

Right now, my carb ratio is 3. For every 3 carbs I eat I have to give myself 1 unit of insulin. As I progress through pregnancy, my carb ratio will go lower. During my last pregnancy, by 21 weeks, I was doing 1 unit of insulin for every 1 carb - I'm that insulin resistant. I'm really going to try to eat as few carbs as possible, but when you crave mac n cheese, it's SO hard to do. I just have to think about this little bundle of joy. 

The picture above shows everything I use on a daily basis while pregnant because I'm diabetic. 

Daily I use:

- 80 units of insulin from a Lantus pen (40 units at breakfast and bedtime; a pen lasts about a week right now)

- 2 Lantus pen needles (1 for morning and 1 for night)

- 1 insulin pump

- 200 units of insulin to fill the insulin pump

- a minimum of 7 lancets to prick my fingers to test my sugar throughout the day

- a minimum of 7 test strips to test my sugar throughout the day

- a minimum of 7 alcohol wipes to clean my skin when testing sugar throughout the day

- 4 alcohol wipes when doing Lantus injections (1 for cleaning skin and one for cleaning the pen at morning and night)

- 1 glucose meter 

- 1 insulin pump meter 

- needle container

- napkins to wipe away blood from finger sticks

- chart to record sugar readings, insulin, and meals any time I test sugar, eat, and/or take insulin

I have to carry around the following with me everyday:

- an extra insulin pump

- bottle of insulin

- sugar meter & all the supplies (strips, lancets, finger poker, and alcohol wipes)

- insulin pump meter

- chart to record everything

I have to make sure I turn on an alarm for 2 hours after I eat to test my sugar or I forget. I also have to remember to record everything for my doctor so she can make insulin adjustments. I have to send in my chart every 2-3 days and my insulin dosage and pump settings change each time. 

While at the endocrinologist's office, I was able to go do my follow up HCG level test along with other bloodwork. My hormone level went from 16 on Monday to 45 on Wednesday, so that's good. I'm pregnant and it's progressing.